Menstrual Cycle Phases Influence on Cardiorespiratory Response to Exercise in Endurance-Trained Females

Beatriz Rael, Víctor M. Alfaro-Magallanes, Nuria Romero-Parra, Eliane A. Castro, Rocío Cupeiro, Xanne A. K. Janse de Jonge, Erica A. Wehrwein, Ana B. Peinado and IronFEMME Study Group
Additional contact information
Beatriz Rael: LFE Research Group, Department of Health and Human Performance, Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Science (INEF), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Víctor M. Alfaro-Magallanes: LFE Research Group, Department of Health and Human Performance, Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Science (INEF), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Nuria Romero-Parra: LFE Research Group, Department of Health and Human Performance, Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Science (INEF), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Eliane A. Castro: LFE Research Group, Department of Health and Human Performance, Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Science (INEF), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Rocío Cupeiro: LFE Research Group, Department of Health and Human Performance, Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Science (INEF), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Xanne A. K. Janse de Jonge: School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle 2308, Australia
Erica A. Wehrwein: Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
Ana B. Peinado: LFE Research Group, Department of Health and Human Performance, Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Science (INEF), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
IronFEMME Study Group: Membership of the IronFEMME Study Group is provided in the Acknowledgments.

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 3, 1-12

Abstract: The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of sex hormone fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle on cardiorespiratory response to high-intensity interval exercise in athletes. Twenty-one eumenorrheic endurance-trained females performed an interval running protocol in three menstrual cycle phases: early-follicular phase (EFP), late-follicular phase (LFP) and mid-luteal phase (MLP). It consisted of 8 × 3-min bouts at 85% of their maximal aerobic speed with 90-s recovery at 30% of their maximal aerobic speed. To verify menstrual cycle phase, we applied a three-step method: calendar-based counting, urinary luteinizing hormone measurement and serum hormone analysis. Mixed-linear model for repeated measures showed menstrual cycle impact on ventilatory (EFP: 78.61 ± 11.09; LFP: 76.45 ± 11.37; MLP: 78.59 ± 13.43) and heart rate (EFP: 167.29 ± 11.44; LFP: 169.89 ± 10.62; MLP: 169.89 ± 11.35) response to high-intensity interval exercise (F 2.59 = 4.300; p = 0.018 and F 2.61 = 4.648; p = 0.013, respectively). Oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, respiratory exchange ratio, breathing frequency, energy expenditure, relative perceived exertion and perceived readiness were unaltered by menstrual cycle phase. Most of the cardiorespiratory variables measured appear to be impassive by menstrual cycle phases throughout a high-intensity interval exercise in endurance-trained athletes. It seems that sex hormone fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle are not high enough to disrupt tissues’ adjustments caused by the high-intensity exercise. Nevertheless, HR based training programs should consider menstrual cycle phase.

Keywords: sex hormones; estradiol; progesterone; eumenorrheic; high intensity interval exercise; athletes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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